How Can You Not Even Know
by landslide-state-of-mind
Summary: Aubrey loves Beca a lot. But there is one kind of frustrating element to their relationship - Beca has absolutely no idea when someone is flirting with her. None at all. [Mitchsen established, little bit of language.]


_I just wanted to quickly thank everyone who has been following/favoriting these stories! I'm getting a lot of great prompts and I'm still trying to pump through as many as I can before Christmas Eve. Seriously, the response to my Mitchsen avalanche has been great and I'm truly appreciative._

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><p>Aubrey loved her girlfriend, she really did. Beca projected this cool, detached image, but in reality she was sweet, romantic and surprisingly thoughtful. Sure she still had snark and sarcasm in boundless measure, but she was also selfless and understanding and she was genuine in her affection.<p>

There was really only one thing Aubrey didn't love about Beca, and she couldn't even be mad about it because – truth be told – it was kind of endearing. Beca was completely oblivious as to when people were flirting with her or trying to get her attention for more amorous pursuits. Aubrey almost couldn't believe how oblivious she was, it was completely and utterly maddening. They'd been together almost six months now, so Beca could read the cues when Aubrey was trying to start a little something, but when Aubrey had first started pursuing the brunette, it had been like banging her head on a brick wall.

It was five weeks of what Aubrey thought was solid flirting - compliments, loaded glances, getting increasingly touchy, 'accidentally' running into her at the coffee place and treating her to a cup of coffee – before she'd asked the younger girl on a date. Beca had spluttered and turned pink, and even though she'd accepted the offer basically straight away she had asked Aubrey why she'd done it so out of the blue.

Over their first date, Aubrey had told Beca about her numerous flirting attempts, to which Beca had shrugged and said, "I don't know man, I just guess I don't get flirted with enough to know." They had shared a laugh about it, but it turns out Beca was just plain old oblivious, because people flirted with her a lot. No, like a lot.

Like one of the waitresses at their preferred coffee shop. She'd occasionally drop off a white chocolate and macadamia cookie with a wink for no reason, and Aubrey asked Beca about it.

"She gives me cookies sometimes, and coffee refills," Beca said. "I dunno."

"She's trying to get your attention," Aubrey said. Beca looked doubtful. "Trust me, Beca." Beca was still hesitant to believe the waitress was interested in her, so when she walked past next, Aubrey flagged her down.

"Can I ask you a question?" Aubrey asked. "The cookies and coffee, are you trying to get Beca's attention? Like, trying to get her to notice you?"

"Uh… maybe?" the girl said, blushing furiously.

"Shit, really?" Beca said. "Look, I'm really sorry, apparently I'm the most oblivious person in the world. And whilst I appreciate the cookies and coffee, this is actually my girlfriend, so…"

"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry," she said to Aubrey. "I didn't realize."

"No need to apologise," Aubrey said to her. "She really can't tell when someone is interested in her, I was proving a point."

"Thank you though," Beca added. "Super flattering." The waitress left, still red in the face, and Aubrey raised her eyebrows pointedly.

"What? That's one person," Beca said. "I just thought it was because I tend to tip pretty big, I can never be bothered calculating a decent tip so I just give them whatever I've got."

Then there was the Barden Open Day. The activities society had held a mini fair for the incoming freshman hopefuls, and no less than seven high school seniors had tried to get Beca's number. Four of the boys outright ogled her as she talked to them all about acapella. Another pretended to be very interested in the radio station internship. And two girls had complimented her tattoos, one even touching her hair so she could move it off of her neck to see the one on her shoulder better, letting her fingers linger a little too long on Beca's skin. And Beca didn't figure that a single one of them were trying to flirt with her.

"I don't know!" Beca said. "I swear, Bree, don't be mad. I just don't know it's even happening."

"I'm not mad," Aubrey said. "More amazed than anything else. How can you not know?"

"Look, until you came along, I was never the girl that got flirted with," Beca said. "I was the weird loner kid whose mom died. I had one girlfriend in high school and that was sort of a friendship that turned into a relationship. The girls who got flirted with looked like you, and Chloe and Stacie, so forgive me for not recognizing the signals." Aubrey could tell she was starting to get upset, so she pulled Beca into a hug and kissed her.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I promise I'll stop talking about it, it clearly makes you uncomfortable. Though I do have a massive problem."

"What's that?"

"I don't know how you managed to get through high school without someone flirting with you," she said. "You're gorgeous and the most interesting person I know."

"Really?"

"Really," Aubrey said. She held her a moment longer. "Their loss. And definitely my gain."

Aubrey didn't bring it up again. For a while, anyway. Most of the people flirting with Beca were harmless. A pointed look from Aubrey, or a strategically timed kiss generally discouraged any flirting from interested suitors. Except for one.

Jesse Swanson.

The Treble knew that she and Beca were in a relationship. Apparently he didn't have much faith in it, Stacie had overheard him telling Donald he bet on them lasting six months max. And quite rudely, he hadn't stopped his relentless flirting with Beca every chance he got. Aubrey wasn't typically a jealous person, but she detested watching the boy throw himself at Beca constantly, and watching Beca entertain his efforts, even if it was only because she didn't realize what was happening.

But she'd promised Beca she'd stop bringing it up, so she bit her tongue. Jesse constantly talked about their future babies, serenaded her, talked to her in that ridiculous fake-charming tone that he felt made him so endearing, teased her… until she couldn't take it any more. She was watching him put an arm around her at a party and something snapped in her. She stalked across the room and levelled a glare at him.

"Can I speak to you, Jesse?" she said. He didn't dare say no, she was Aubrey Posen after all, and he followed her to another corner.

"What can I do for you?" Jesse asked.

"You can stop flirting with my girlfriend," Aubrey said. "It's rude, and it's disrespectful, and it's not going to get you Beca."

"She doesn't seem to mind," he said. "I'm not concerned with what pisses you off. It's Beca I'm interested in. So if my flirting is making you mad, I'm sorry, but I don't care."

"She doesn't even know you're doing it!" Aubrey said. "Beca has no idea when someone is flirting with her. Trust me, she doesn't even know you're interested in her. More to the point, she is _my _girlfriend and the fact that you flirt with her constantly is disrespectful to both of us."

"When _she_ tells me it's a problem, I'll stop," he said. "She'll come to her senses sooner or later anyway. Later, Aubrey." Aubrey seethed silently as he walked away. She didn't hear Beca come up behind her, she just felt her arms wrapping around her waist.

"What was that about?" Beca asked.

"Nothing," she said with a clenched jaw. Beca turned her around in her arms.

"No, it was something," Beca said. "I can tell when you're upset, Bree." Aubrey closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Jesse."

"What about him?" Beca asked.

"He flirts with you constantly and it drives me mad," she said. "Because unlike all the other people who flirt with you, he knows we're in a relationship and he doesn't care. He thinks if he hangs in there you'll break up with me and go out with him. It's rude and horrible, and I know you don't even know he's doing it, but I do and I can't believe he'd be so disrespectful when he claims to like you."

"Jesse flirts with me?"

"All the time," Aubrey said. "I'm sorry, I'm just being a jealous bitch."

"And what did you just say to him?"

"I asked him to stop flirting with you because we're in a committed relationship and it's disrespectful."

"And what did he say?"

"That he doesn't care what I think and until you say it's a problem he isn't going to stop," Aubrey said. "And that if he keeps it up long enough you'll come to your senses." Beca paused for a moment and Aubrey could see the thoughts swirling around in her head, and eventually an angry look settled on her face.

"Fine. Where is he?"

"Why?"

"Because you're right, Bree. I might be oblivious, but it's fucking bullshit if he thinks I'm going to let him upset you and treat our relationship like this," she said. "I'm not just fucking around with this thing, I want to be with you. Being with you is the best thing that's happened to me. But he just doesn't care? You're my girlfriend and he just doesn't care? You're right, it is rude and I won't fucking have it." She took her by the hand and tugged her through the crowd. When she spotted Jesse, she marched right up to him.

"Hey asshole, mind telling me why you think it's okay to upset my girlfriend and treat our relationship like it's nothing?" she said angrily. Everyone settled in to watch the exchange.

"Come on, Beca. Yeah I was flirting with you, but you were into it. You never told me to back off."

"I had no fucking idea that your lameass serenades and movie one liners constituted flirting. I was too busy with the incredible girlfriend I already have to notice anything about you," Beca said. "But I'm more interested in the part where Bree asked you to stop and you told her no because I'd come around eventually. Does the fact that I'm in a relationship not bother you?"

"What-"

"Answer me. I'm in a relationship with someone so fucking amazing I can barely believe it's happening and you literally tell her that you don't care and you're gonna just keep at it? What kind of shitty guy are you?"

"I just think we'd be great together," he said weakly.

"Three fucking problems," she said. "One, you're a disrespectful asshole and surprisingly that's not high on the list of things I find attractive. Two, I'm gay, dude. Like, never interested in getting anywhere near a penis but a huge fan of vagina level gay. Three, I am so head over heels in love with Aubrey there is literally nothing anyone could do or say to tear me away from her." Aubrey's jaw dropped. Neither of them had used the L word yet and here Beca was tossing it out in front of fifteen people at a party. Jesse was as shocked as she was, mouth agape. Beca looked at him expectantly.

"I'm still waiting for an explanation or an apology," she demanded. But he couldn't even form words. "Fine. Just know that if you ever talk about me and Aubrey like that again, or if you so much as think about upsetting my girlfriend, I'll end you." Then she took Aubrey's hand and led her away. The onlookers instantly started ribbing Jesse, saying he got owned by some tiny chick.

"You okay?" Beca asked. She was shaking slightly.

"I should be asking you that question," Aubrey said.

"Just adrenaline," she said. "I'm fine."

"Beca I've never had anyone defend me that passionately before," Aubrey said. "Or tell me they love me in front of a huge crowd like that."

"Yeah well it's true," Beca said. "I'm surprised you didn't know."

"You never said it before," Aubrey pointed out.

"Now who's oblivious," Beca said. "Aubrey Posen, I am so fucking in love with you it's ridiculous. I'm so focused on you and everything you are that I can't even tell when assholes are hitting on me." She wound her arms around Aubrey's neck and kissed her deeply. Aubrey sank into it, getting lost in the familiar taste of her girlfriends mouth. She broke away and rested their foreheads together.

"For the record, I'm crazy in love with you too."


End file.
